Larry King Live

Say what you will about Larry King ? that he's a shameless softballer, that he's a selective listener, that he may not always understand who he's talking to and what they're saying ? you have to admit the man has stamina. Even as his body seems to shrivel and his concentration appears to wane, he's been showing up for "Larry King Live," his five-nights-a-week, hourlong CNN interview program, for 25 years. Throughout it all ? and, indeed, throughout his whole career, which began in radio in 1957 ?

Say what you will about Larry King ? that he's a shameless softballer, that he's a selective listener, that he may not always understand who he's talking to and what they're saying ? you have to admit the man has stamina. Even as his body seems to shrivel and his concentration appears to wane, he's been showing up for "Larry King Live," his five-nights-a-week, hourlong CNN interview program, for 25 years. Throughout it all ? and, indeed, throughout his whole career, which began in radio in 1957 ?

Larry King, the popular television and radio talk show host, was live Wednesday at the Richard Nixon Library & Birthplace, where he fielded questions about Bill Clinton, Hugh Grant and other newsmakers. "You know, I am amazed at the hatred of Bill Clinton," King told the crowd of about 400. "He's not the best president I've ever seen. But he's not a terrible president."

In a little more than a month, Larry King will leave his first-floor studio on Sunset and Cahuenga. His last regularly scheduled program on CNN will be done. A driver will shuttle King home to Beverly Hills and a new life. But don't you dare call it retirement. The radio-turned-television personality, who turns 77 on Friday, will be making four specials a year for CNN. He'll be speaking to charitable groups. He'd like to do a little stand-up, Friars Club style. (If he lands that biggest of all interviews, King knows the first question he'd ask God: "Do you have a son?

Larry King was flying back to Los Angeles after interviewing basketball superstar LeBron James at his home in Akron, Ohio, earlier this month when it hit him. "I said, 'I can't top this,' " King recalled in an interview Tuesday. "I'm not getting younger. I want more time with other things. It's time to go." After a quarter century as host of "Larry King Live," the centerpiece of CNN's prime-time lineup and a required stamping ground for striving politicians and contrite celebrities, the 76-year-old announced Tuesday that he will be leaving the program this fall.

An indignant Rep. Robert K. Dornan confronted Orange County home builder Kathryn Thompson during the "Larry King Live" television program Friday, claiming that he did not threaten her construction business because of her recently announced support for Democratic presidential nominee Bill Clinton. Thompson and Western Digital Corp.

Gov. Pete Wilson, calling himself the Republican presidential candidate that President Clinton fears most, said Thursday night that Clinton is a good campaigner but "rotten" at governing. Wilson made the comment during a 28-minute appearance on "Larry King Live" on the CNN cable network. It was an appearance designed to deter speculation that Wilson might be backing away from his campaign after being out of the national political spotlight for weeks following throat surgery.

King & Clinton: Presidential candidate Bill Clinton will be the guest on "Larry King Live" tonight at 6 on CNN. The interview will take place in Louisville, Ky.

Tuesday's debate between Vice President Al Gore and Ross Perot drew the highest rating ever for a presentation of "Larry King Live." The 90-minute Cable News Network debate received an 18.1 rating in the 62 million households receiving the network, according to figures released Wednesday by the A.C. Nielsen Co. With each CNN rating point being equivalent to 620,000 households, it means about 11.2 million households were tuned in.

Ron Artest considered doing something goofy and decided against it. No boxer shorts. No fake beards. No nonsense. He played it straight on "Larry King Live," unlike his other appearances on nighttime talk shows. He did the right thing, it turned out. The Lakers forward said his website attracted 1.7 million page views during his time on Larry King's show Wednesday to promote the fact he was raffling off his championship ring to benefit mental health. In fact, Artest had too many visitors to the website, ronartest.

After months of speculation, CNN announced Wednesday that it had hired Piers Morgan, the British newspaper editor best known to U.S. audiences as a judge on NBC's "America's Got Talent," to take over its 9 p.m. talk-show slot currently hosted by Larry King. Hoping to bolster its flagging prime-time lineup, the Time Warner-owned network settled on Morgan after delicate and wide-ranging negotiations that cleared numerous obstacles, including the host's visa status and his role on "America's Got Talent," which he is expected to continue.

The Early Show Will Ferrell and Mark Wahlberg. (N) 7 a.m. KCBS Today (N) 7 a.m. KNBC KTLA Morning News (N) 7 a.m. KTLA Good Morning America Sylvester Stallone. (N) 7 a.m. KABC Good Day L.A. (N) 7 a.m. KTTV Regis and Kelly Christiane Amanpour. (N) 9 a.m. KABC The View Lorraine Bracco ("Rizzoli & Isles"); Vanessa Marcil Giovinazzo. (N) 10 a.m. KABC Rachael Ray Khloe Kardashian. 2 p.m. KCBS The Oprah Winfrey Show p.m. KABC Dr. Phil 4 p.m. KCBS Larry King Live (N)

SATURDAY The Situation Room With Wolf Blitzer Afghanistan, Iraq, Iran, the Middle East, the economy, the World Cup, Chelsea's wedding: President Bill Clinton. 3 p.m. CNN Larry King Live 6 and 9 p.m. CNN McLaughlin Group 6:30 p.m. KCET SUNDAY Today Straight No Chaser performs; Wimbledon finals; safe-deposit boxes; traveling with pets. (N) 4 a.m. KNBC Good Morning America (N) 6 a.m. KABC State of the Union With Candy Crowley War in Afghanistan: Afghan Ambassador Said Tayeb Jawab; Afghanistan, veterans in Congress: Rep. John Boccieri (D-Ohio)